Forklift/Mechanical Handling Equipment (MHE) Training

The main causes of forklift/MHE accidents are pedestrians being struck by vehicles, loads dropped or pushed onto another employee, driving off a loading bay, tipping over as a result of cornering at excessive speed and drivers trapping limbs.  Most errors by drivers are as a result of inadequate training, supervision, or unsuitable premises.  Failure by an employer to assess the risk, implement controls to reduce the risk and provide adequate training may make them liable to compensate anyone who is injured as a result of a forklift accident.

1% of factory accidents involve forklift trucks, these accidents are often serious and produce 10% of all physical injuries occurring in the workplace.  Operators are required to attend and pass safety training courses at least every three years, operate and maintain their vehicles in a safe manner and report all vehicle problems to their supervisor.  Measures to preventing deaths and injuries include:

• Provision of adequate training for operators, supervisors and managers
• Suitability of equipment for the job
• Segregation of pedestrians and forklifts/MHE in the premises to ensure that forklift/MHE trucks can move safely
• Ensuring that forklift/MHE trucks and premises are maintained properly